Catalog and Direct Selling: Improve Your Catalog Inch by Inch

2. Take advantage of preferred price points customers respond to. Within each category, a SQUINCH will determine an “average price sold.” This dynamic should not be ignored. Customers are telling you that this is a price point they are comfortable with.

For example, if you’re selling food gifts and your average price sold is $45 in the basket category, consider featuring basket gifts within 20 percent of that price point or in hot spots throughout the catalog. Be sure to analyze this by category (the more homogenous, the better) keeping in mind that a few high or low price points may skew the average price sold.

3. Find the products that attract and feature them. While the rule of thumb is to not place new, unproven products in hot spots, you could be ignoring evidence that proves otherwise. A thorough analysis will tell you specific features that attract your customers.

For instance, if you know that silk mock turtlenecks always sell well and that black is a preferred color in the apparel category, you have a good indicator that a new silk mock turtleneck in black has pretty good potential. Take a chance and feature this new product in a promising location.

4. Create engaging stories in your catalog based on analysis. If specific product themes consistently score at the top, create themed, relevant stories as catalog spreads. This is a proven technique that not only will stop the eye, but will pull customers in and encourage linger time. So, if a SQUINCH analysis tells you that teapots always sell well, why not build an entire spread around the art of making tea? Feature teapots, but sell the story with related accessories, such as a variety of tea flavors or a unique tea recipe.

5. Consider sorting your SQUINCH by a special creative feature. Many catalogs have used this powerful technique to guide important creative decisions. In the apparel category, customers might expect and respond to a certain type of model; use this information to guide your model selection (i.e., color of hair, ethnicity, size).